OFFSTAGE: Darius Rucker Proves His Country Roots on Twitter

(CMT Offstage keeps a 24/7 watch on everything that’s happening with country music artists behind the scenes and out of the spotlight.)

Never doubt the depth of Darius Rucker’s country roots. I learned that four years ago when I interviewed him for a story
, and he offered to sing me every song on The Very Best of Patsy Cline right then and there. So I know he’s telling the truth when he talks about growing up on old country. But some bully on Twitter wasn’t so sure about Rucker’s devotion to the genre. Last week, the guy who calls himself @NotJakeOwen posted this on Twitter
: “$500 reward to anyone that can prove @dariusrucker owns the best of Patsy Cline in his music collection.” I’m sure he didn’t really think anyone would respond. But Rucker did. He posted a picture of Cline’s music in his CD collection, telling this NotJakeOwen guy to pay up
. “@NotJakeOwen Pay up — $500 and make it out to @StJude,” Rucker tweeted. (His picture also include a mix of Dierks Bentley, Hank Williams, R.E.M., Radney Foster, Stevie Wonder and more.) And because he is so hard to take seriously, it’s impossible to be 100 percent sure if the phony Owen did in fact make a $500 donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. But he posted a picture of a receipt, with this tweet, set to the tune of Rucker’s “Come Back Song”
: “Hey @dariusrucker This is my bad. Pay up. Tweet. pic.twitter.com/bqNrlx5
.”